MLA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How do I use MLA citations and list of works cited in a PowerPoint presentation?
A:
To cite sources in a slide presentation, MLA suggests including brief citations on each slide that includes material from your sources, including quotations, summaries and paraphrases, images, or data. Include a works-cited list on a slide at the end of your presentation. MLA also suggests providing your list of sources to your audience, either through a URL or printed copy that you hand out in your presentation. For more details, see the MLA Handbook, 8th ed., pp. 127-28.
Q: Do I need to include a URL when I document online sources in my list of works cited?
A:
The MLA Handbook (9th edition) prefers the DOI to the URL. However, it also recognizes that the URL can provide information of where the work was found and link your audience to your sources in digital works. If you’re unsure about whether to include the URL, double check with your instructor. Different instructors may have different preferences.
Gay, Roxane. “Who Gets to be Angry?” The New York Times, 10 June 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/06/12/opinion/sunday/who-gets-to-be-angry.html?_r=0
Q: What is common knowledge information and why don’t I need to cite it?
A:
Common knowledge generally includes biographical information, dates of historical events, and other undisputed, widely available information. If you think that your average, reasonable reader already accepts this information as fact, it is not necessary to document it. When in doubt, cite the source.
For more information on Common Knowledge practices, see the following sources:
Purdue OWL - Common Knowledge & Attribution
What is Common Knowledge?
